The present invention relates to tires and more specifically, to a system and a method for providing a reflective coating inside a tire.
Millions of vehicles travel on public roadways every day and every night. Most trucks have more than four tires. Typically, tractor/trailers, also known as 18-wheelers, may have 18 or more tires. Unfortunately, tire blowouts frequently occur for various reasons. For example, poorly maintained and/or underinflated tires, old tires, damaged tires and/or the like may be especially prone to blowouts. On many occasions, when a flat tire may occur, the tire may shred and/or disintegrate into pieces.
Tires and/or parts of tires from trucks, trailers and/or various other vehicles may become road hazards when the tires are damaged. For example, the tire may be punctured, rupture, delaminate and/or disintegrate into pieces and become scattered on a roadway. The tires and/or parts of tires may present dangers to other drivers. In particular, the dangers presented may be multiplied in severity by the inability to see the tires and/or parts of tires at night on a roadway. Typical tire composition materials, such as vulcanized rubber and/or synthetic rubber, for example, are not reflective to light. The typical black color of the tire may make the tire virtually invisible at night.
Thus, the driver of a vehicle may be unable to see the tires and/or parts of tires at night despite the illumination generated by the headlights of the vehicle on the road ahead of the vehicle. A collision with the tires and/or parts of tires may cause damage to the vehicle upon encountering the tires and/or parts of tires. Even worse, the collision and/or the avoidance of the tires and/or parts of tires may cause an accident for the vehicle causing harm to the driver and/or others.
Another common problem may occur on busy roadways. Highly congested roadways with many vehicles may decrease the ability of a driver to see an upcoming road hazard, such as tires and/or parts of tires littering the roadway. The obstructions and/or interference presented by the tires and/or parts of tires may be unavoidable to drivers encountering the tires and/or parts of tires due to a lack of reaction time.
A need, therefore, exists for a system and/or a method which may be used to provide a reflective coating inside a tire. Also, a need exists for a system and/or a method which may be used to provide a reflective coating inside a tire which may be performed in a simple manner by any individual on any tire.